Giants top A’s in Bay Bridge battle of attendance

Another version of the Bay Bridge Series opened Monday night and the Giants were the clear winners.

Not just because they beat the Rockies 4-1, but because they drew 35,726 compared with the 18,092 who watched the A’s lose to the Blue Jays in 12 innings 6-2.

Esteban Loaiza pitches with a backdrop of empty seats.

In a scheduling quirk, both Bay Area teams are playing home games this week. Both of your pocket schedules show night games Monday and Tuesday and a Wednesday matinee.

Clearly, both announced attendances were higher than the actual crowd counts for two meaningless games in late August.

Ryan Klesko in one of his patented slides, which can look more like a barrell roll at times.

The big question is: Which team had more no-shows on Monday night? Does anyone out there who went to either game have a guess on no-shows?

Both the A’s and Giants are hoping contending teams will take some of their pricey veterans before Friday’s deadline. If acquiring teams don’t beat the deadline, the new players will not be eligible for postseason play.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy started all veterans again on Monday — except for Kevin Frandsen spelling injured second baseman Ray Durham — perhaps in a last-ditch effort to showcase someone like Ryan Klesko to a contender.

Across the bay, Esteban Loaiza had his second solid start againt the Blue Jays. The Dodgers, after adding veteran lefty David Wells last week, are said to be interested in adding Loaiza to their rotation for the final month.